ASU's Zechariah Sample One of the Stars This Offseason

Who said superheroes need capes to fly? All Zechariah Sample needs is his 23.03 mph legs to send opposing defensive backs into a trance.

OK, maybe that’s a stretch — but make no mistake, Sample is electric like The Flash, and the speed he possesses may just earn him reps every Saturday.

A three-star recruit out of Katy Jordan High School, Sample received several offers from notable programs such as Houston, Utah, Cal, and UNLV. But the one school that maintained a consistent presence in his life was Arizona State, where he officially enrolled in August 2024.

As a freshman in Tempe, Sample didn’t see any reps, but he got a front-row seat to a historic season — as ASU won the Big 12 and earned its first-ever College Football Playoff berth.

In past interviews, he acknowledged the possibility of redshirting when talking to Rivals, and perhaps a redshirt season will only help his development.

“I don’t know if I’m gonna redshirt this year,” Sample told Rivals. “We’ll see how that goes — how I produce in practice, how I learn all my plays, all that. I need to get on top of my assignments and not screw anything up.”

That’s a mature approach for a high school senior — understanding that nothing is handed to you on a silver platter.

For Sample, size has always been a hurdle. But hurdles are nothing new for the former track star. He clocked an 11.15 in the 100-yard dash and recorded a long jump of 19 feet, 7 inches in high school.

And from the looks of it, Sample is beginning to earn his spot.

During spring practice, Sample went viral for a highlight-reel catch — so much so that CBS Sports posted the clip on Instagram. He then turned more heads when he posted on X that he hit 23.03 mph in training — the fastest speed recorded on the team.